Tag Archive: religion

“I believe the only true religion consists of having a good heart” – The Dalai Lama

Another simple and yet profound quote from his Holiness the Dalai Lama. How do you interpret that 12 word sentence? There are so many religions and faiths in this fallible world. Some can operate independently of blind faith like Buddhism. Other religions are built entirely on blind faith. Some condemn a veering path; some describe both the edicts of what is considered good and what is considered sin. All talk about an afterlife in some form or facet. I can think of two religions specifically that have facilitated more suffering than good across the last couple thousand years. So where does that leave us? Most likely confused…What is religious scripture; but carefully crafted words? History has proven that much of the organized scripture we reach for today has been manipulated, re-written and molded to benefit the few in power and control the masses. In 300 AD Emperor Constantine literally rewrote the Bible at the Council of Nicaea. Tell that to a reborn Christian and see how that shakes out… But none of that really matters anyway. At least not to me. For scripture or as Joseph Campbell references, “mythology”, to exist and have power it requires the faith (or blind faith) of its followers to give it energy, authority and life. And as we have learned, such religious ideology can be rooted in complete fantasy and even science fiction – ever explored Scientology? Yeah, enough said there…

Now, from your educated eye… From a socially evolved viewpoint; if most or all religion is muddled, adulterated, twisted and warped; many times so far skewed from the original message, how are we to find our way spiritually? How do we know what is right and wrong and what is prepackaged bullshit?

We have discussed in this Blog and also within my book, The Responsive Universe, that True Nature (which is the opposite of ego and false-self) is this unadulterated source of energy within that is everything: Within its borderless aura sits your moral compass, the secrets to happiness and the path of less suffering. When you connect to this True Nature, vast horizons open to bring space, awareness and sensitivity to this thing call life. True Nature brings mindfulness and understanding to the controlled chaos that is modern-day living. True Nature has always existed and always will. No one or thing can take True Nature from you – not even death itself. True, this energy source may remain hidden, buried by ego, but it will always remain within; steadfast and dependable. In Buddhist teachings the word “heart” is coined a lot to describe your inner soul or being; your core of existence. This is the definition of True Nature and when you base your intent from this bottomless well of responsive energy you are living from the heart and not from the ego and what society deems correct.

If you scientifically and philosophically attempt to quantify True Nature you will understand that it possesses all the trimmings of religion. It is the definition of “true” Religion. Or maybe a better way to put it: It is the definition of Spirituality. Your spirituality… The difference between contemporary religion and True Nature is that in order to define God and your place within this Universe, you have to include yourself as part of its definition. You are part of its common denominator. You are Heart, Love, God and Universe and none of it can exist without you!

If that is not religion, I do not know what is….

John C. Bader is a photographer, wellness advocate and consultant specializing in spiritual self-evolution, meditation, and bio-energy healing. In his writing, he bridges science with spirituality and provides steps to encourage more mindfulness in daily life. His new book, The Responsive Universe – Illumination of the Nine Mandalas is a step by step process on how to begin your very own journey in Self-Discovery.

Religion is expressly a vehicle of faith; faith is the backbone of religion. Without faith in a religious order, organized doctrines such as Christianity and Islam would simply be legend and lore – stories and parables. It seems much of what we know of God has been rewritten and re-packaged by a powerful select few to manipulate and control the many: Sad to say, but the populace has been lead by the nose of ignorance for thousands of years.

Time to dig my own grave…..

After the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., Roman Emperor Constantine upgraded Jesus’ status over three centuries after Christ’s death. Thousands of documents already existed chronicling his life as a mortal man. Many consider these the beginnings of the gospels. History shows there was a clear drive to unite the various Christian sects to help stabilize the Roman Empire primarily because Constantine feared that disputes within the church would cause disorder within the empire. Constantine commissioned and financed a new Church and Bible, which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ’s human traits and embellished those gospels that made him godlike. There is documentation that earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up, and burned. Other changes included formulation for wording concerning the Trinity based on Anthanias, changing the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday and changing the date of Jesus’ birthday to December 25th.

What is important to note is that the Holy Roman Catholic Church was in business several hundred years before Jesus was even born. It was a church established by the Roman government, pagan in nature, in order to promote common worship beliefs and rituals amongst the Roman citizens in an effort to better control subjects of Rome. The disputes Constantine aimed to resolve with the First Council of Nicaea were largely over the relationship between Jesus and God, mainly whether Jesus was the literal son of God or a figurative son like the other “Sons of God” in the Bible. The Nicene Creed adopted after this council stated clearly that Jesus was the begotten son of God. It declares Jesus’s divinity by stating that Jesus and God are of one substance and for our salvation Jesus was made man.

Lets roll back 300 years… After the death of Jesus Christ, many Christian sects formed and they were practically impossible to differentiate from Judaism in those days. Early Christians considered themselves to be Jews. They observed the Jewish law and attended synagogue. However, after Paul’s conversion and rejection of the law and his Judaism faith, he began a mission to take his vision of Christ to the Gentiles. This new brand of Christianity was documented as “Pauline Christianity”. This action created a divide within this early body of Christian believers that recalled the pure teachings of Jesus. This segregation centered on the Jewish law and it is written independently that Paul publicly rejected it. The Jerusalem apostles of course did not and early on continued to stick to Judaism and the early teachings of Jesus. It is also noted that there was controversy over Jesus’ resurrection. Was it a spiritual resurrection or a physical one? As time went on, the doctrinal differences between the various Christian sects grew. Then eventually, the organized Church in Rome under the direction of Constantine gained enormous political power and began to kill heretics and burn their writings to establish one Orthodox Church based on Pauline Christianity. The original teachings of Jesus became lost in the capsule of time and history. They were never seen again until 1945 when pre Roman texts were discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt. Two years later, the Dead Sea Scrolls were also discovered. A much greater understanding of early Christianity and Judaism is now known. The Dead Sea scrolls have given modern scholars an unadulterated look into what really early Christianity may have looked like. Many of these newly discovered texts were written at the time of Jesus unlike the Bible that was written several hundred years after the death of Jesus. There are even texts that hint to a completely different thread of thought in regard to the true teachings and the religious transformations of that era. There may have been more similarities with Buddhism with a focus on less suffering and a “spiritual awakening” and rebirth which is at odds with current Church doctrine. Rome conquered Jerusalem in 70 AD and any previous teachings that were considered the words and edicts of Jesus were mostly lost or destroyed forever.

Do I believe in God? The answer is yes, I do believe in God. Still, I am spiritual and there is a big difference between spiritual and religious. As stated religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the Universe. Religion cannot be proven right or wrong; it simply stands by itself, feeding on the faith of its parishioners; eventually destined to die off much like ancient languages and cultures. Faith is confidence and trust in a set of ideologies. True, faith can be learned. That is the focus of organized religion: To teach Faith. Yet personal faith based on ones’ own deepest desires and love for life and energy is what really defines true conviction. I feel like we are a part of something grand – something so vast words can’t describe the immensity of it all. Within our being is this indestructible essence that is connected to the harmony and intricacies of the Cosmos; our True Nature. Man-made, organized religion has boundaries and edicts that close off our world; god as it relates to the Universe and our True Nature is boundless.

I am rolling on the wave of this Jesus kick – up next, I want to tackle Hell and Satan. Why stop now?